Plastic dispensing nozzle with removable seal and captive cap



Nov. 1, 1966 J. HENCHERT PLASTIC DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH REMOVABLE SEALAND CAPTIVE CAP Filed Jan. 19, 1961 I) w 6 M P g N m t v x 1* 1 V n mgfv N g 9 9 g M 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. Janna Hancuazr MAM ATTORNEYSNOV. 1, 1966 J HENCHERT 3,282,477

PLASTIC DISPENSING NOZZLE WITH REMOVABLE SEAL AND CAP'IIVE CAP FiledJan. 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN HENCHERT m %%,AW

AT TO 2M EYS United States Patent 3,282,477 PLASTIC DISPENSING NOZZLEWITH REMOV- ABLE SEAL AND CAPTIVE CAP John Henchert, River Forest, Ill.,assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporationof New York Filed Jan. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 83,727 14 Claims. (Cl.222-541) This invention relates in general to new and usefulimprovements in dispensing nozzles, and more particularly to a noveldispensing nozzle which is formed of plastic material and is providedwith a removable seal and a captive cap.

In the packaging of many products it is desirable to seal the container.However, it is necessary that the seal be of a nature wherein it may bereadily removed. It is to this end that the present invention isprimarily directed.

Although in the past dispensing nozzles have been provided withremovable seals of various types, when the seal is placed sufficientlyinwardly of the top of the nozzle to prevent the accidental rupturethereof, it has been difiicult to remove. It is therefore the primaryobject of this invention to provide a dispensing nozzle which includes athroat having recessed therein a sealing disc which is readilyremovable, which sealing disc is provided with a pull tab of sufficientlength to project above the top of the nozzle in a position where it maybe readily grasped, and the pull tab having sufficient resiliency to bebendable into the throat of the nozzle by a closure cap for the nozzle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel plasticdispensing nozzle having a removable sealing disc and a captive cap, thecap being of the type having a plug portion which rojects down into thethroat of the nozzle and forms a seal therewith, the plug being hollow,and the sealing disc being removably connected to the nozzle and havinga pull tab connected thereto and extending upwardly therefrom into theplug with the pull tab being resiliently bowed by its engagament withthe cap so that when the cap is removed, the pull tab will have atendency to return to its normal upright position due to the resiliencyof the plastic material from which it is formed whereby the pull tab maybe readily grasped between ones fingers and the necessary pull exertedtherewith on the sealing disc to remove the sealing disc from thenozzle.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a sealing disc fora dispensing nozzle of the type having a closure cap, the sealing discbeing provided wit-h a pull tab to effect the removal thereof, the pulltab being of a greater length than the height of the nozzle above thesealing disc and being resiliently bendable into the throat of thenozzle by engagement with the cap, whereby the pull tab may be readilystored within the nozzle and immediately springs thereout of into aposition to be grasped when the cap is removed.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel capconstruction for a plastic dispensing nozzle wherein "ice the cap isprovided with a plug portion which projects down into the throat of thenozzle and forms a seal therewith, and the nozzle having an externallocking ring which is engaged by .a plurality of locking lugs on the capto retain the cap in a nozzle sealing position, the holding power of thelugs on the cap being sufficient to normally retain the cap in place andat the same time being insuflicient to retain the cap in place againstgreaterthan-normal pressures within the container of which the nozzle isa part, whereby rupturing of the container due to the internal pressuresis prevented.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel nozzleand cap construction wherein the cap is provided with a plug engageableinto a throat of the nozzle and adapted to form a seal therewith toclose the nozzle, the plug being upwardly flared with the upper portionof the plug being of a greater external diameter than the internaldiameter of a corresponding portion of the throat, whereby when the capis properly positioned on the nozzle, the plug will be wedged into thenozzle with a resultant deformation of the upper portion of the throatand the formation of a good seal between the throat of the nozzle andthe plug of the cap.

With the above, and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear,the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by referenceto the following detailed description, the appended claims and theseveral views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the nozzle which is the subjectof this invention mounted on a container, the captive cap of the nozzlebeing illustrated in an open position.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 22of FIGURE 1 and shows the specific cross section of both the nozzle andthe closure cap, and the specific details of the sealing disc and therelationship thereof with respect to the nozzle.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIGURE 2and shows the closure cap in a position overlying the nozzle but shortof being in sealing engagement therewith.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken through the nozzleassembly with the closure cap fully seated on the nozzle.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing the bottom of thecap and taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the nozzle taken on an enlarged scale alongthe line 66 of FIGURE 2. and showing the specific outline of the sealingdisc and the relationship thereof with respect to the nozzle.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 6 showing the details of thenozzle provided with a modified form of sealing disc, the outline of thesealing disc being clearly illustrated.

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIGURE7 and shows the specific details of the modified form of sealing disc.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the nozzleand closure cap assembly, which is the subject of this invention, isgenerally referred to by the numeral 10 and is illustrated in FIGURE 1as being carried by a container 11. The nozzle and closure cap assembly10 includes a nozzle 12 and a closure cap 13 which is integrallyconnected to the nozzle 12 by means of a connecting strap 14. Theconnecting strap 14 is of sufficient length to permit the closure cap tobe swung to a position closing the nozzle 12, as is shown in FIG- URE 4while permitting the closure cap 13 to be move-d to an out-of-the-wayposition, as is shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The nozzle 12 includes a cylindrical lower portion 15 which has anupwardly flaring outer bottom portion 16 which terminates in an upwardlyfacing lip 17 which is lockable with the container to prevent withdrawalof the nozzle from the container, for example, the container 11. Thenozzle 12 has an annular flange 18 disposed above the lip 17, and theannular flange 18 has a downwardly opening annular recess 19 thereinimmediately above the locking lip 17 for the reception of a flange ofthe container 11 to provide the necessary interlock between the nozzle12 and the container flange.

The nozzle 12 tapers inwardly above the flange 18, as at 21, and thenextends upwardly to define a generally cylindrical upper portion 22. Theupper portion 22 defines a pouring throat 23.

The upper portion 22 is provided with an external locking rib 24 spacedbelow the upper end of the nozzle 11, the locking rib 24 having adownwardly flaring upper camming surface 25. The upper portion 22terminates in an outwardly projecting dripless pouring lip 26. The upperend of the throat 23 is outwardly flared as at 27 with the result thatthe upper end of the upper portion 22 defines a relatively narrowannular seat 28.

The closure cap 13 includes a top wall 29 having a depending cylindricalskirt 30 which terminates at its low er end in an outwardly directedannular reinforcing flange 31. The connecting strap 14 extends betweenthe reinforcing flange 31 of the closure cap 13 and the flange 18 of thenozzle 12. In order to releasably retain the closure cap 13 in positionclosing the nozzle 12, the skirt 30 of the closure cap 13 is provided atthe lower end thereof with a plurality of circumferentially spacedlocking lugs or ribs 32. As is .best shown in FIGURE 5, the locking lugs32 are arranged with two of the locking lugs disposed along adiametrical line passing through the connecting strap 14 and the othertwo of the locking lugs being disposed along a second diametrical lineextending at right angles to the first diametrical line. Also, bestshown in FIGURE is the general outline of each of the locking lugswherein each locking lug has the main portion thereof extendingsubstantially normal to its respective diametrical line and the endsthereof curve outwardly towards the skirt 30. Each locking lug 32 has anupwardly tapering undersurface 33 which cooperates with the cammingsurface 25 of the locking rib 24 to effect the snapping of the lockinglugs 32 down over and beneath the locking rib 24. v

The closure cap 13 is provided with a hollow plug 34 which extendsdownwardly from the undersurface of the top wall 29 thereof. The plug 34has a downwardly flaring inner surface 35 so that the general crosssection of a segment of the plug 34 is wedge shaped.

Each plug 34 has a downwardly tapering upper outer portion 36 which isspaced from the skirt 30 and together with the skirt 30 defines a seat37 on the under side of the top wall 29 of the closure cap 13. The plug34 has an intermediate outer surface 38 which is generally cylindricalin outline and which terminates at the surface 36 along its upperboundary. The plug 34 also has a lower intermediate outer surface 39which is downwardly tapered and which terminates in a cylindrical outersurface 40 of the plug 34. The extreme lower end of the plug 34 isrounded as at 41.

As is best shown in FIGURE 4, when the closure cap 13 is in placeclosing the nozzle 12, the plug 34 is wedged down into the upper portionof the throat 23 of the nozzle upper portion 22 and forms a sealtherewith. It is to be noted that since the diameter of the surfaceportion 38 of the plug 34 is normally greater than the internal diameterof the surface defining the throat 23, when the closure cap 13 ispositioned on the nozzle 12 and the plug 34 is forced into the throat23, there is a deformation of the material of the nozzle 12 to form thedesired seal between the plug 34 and the throat 23. It is also to benoted that the angle of the outwardly flared surface 27 of the nozzlewith respect to the axis of the nozzle is greater than the angle of thesurface 36 with respect to the axis of the nozzle, whereby the surfaces27 and 36 do not contact, and in addition to the seal between the plug34 and the throat 23, a second seal is formed between the seats 28 and37.

It is to be understood that the holding power of the spaced locking lugs32 is less than that of a continuous locking rib'iand by accuratelydetermining the extents of the locking lugs 32, the holding powerthereof may be controlled. Thus, the closure cap 13 will be locked ontothe nozzle 12 to retain the closure cap 13 in place against apredetermined pressure within the throat 23, but permitting thereleasing of the closure cap 13 with respect to the nozzle 12 to ventthe nozzle 12 upon the pressure within the nozzle reaching apredetermined pressure to thereby prevent rupturing of the container 11.Under normal conditions the closure cap 13 is removed from the nozzle 12by means of a lifting tab 42 which extends outwardly from the flange 31in diametrical relation to the connecting strap 14.

The throat 23 of the nozzle 12 is initially closed and sealed by asealing disc, generally referred to by the numeral 43. At this time itis pointed out that the throat 23 has a lower portion 44 which is of agreater diameter than the diameter of the upper portion thereof. Thesealing disc 43 is disposed at the intersection of the upper and lowerportions of the throat 23.

In the form of the sealing disc illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 6, thesealing disc 43 includes a relatively thick circular disk 45 and a thinmarginal tear annulus 46 which surrounds the circular disk 45 and isintegrally connected to the nozzle 12. The sealing disc 43 may bereadily removed from within the nozzle 12 by rupturing the same alongthe tear annulus 46. i

In order to facilitate the removal of the sealing disc 43, there isprovided a pull tab 47 which is connected to the upper surface of thecircular disk 45 adjacent the tear annulus 46 and in alignment with theconnecting strap 14. When the nozzle 12 is initially formed, the pulltab 47 extends generally parallel to the :axis of the nozzle 12 and isof a length to project a considerable distance above the top of thenozzle 12 to facilitate the grasping thereof to exert an upward pullthereon suflicient to rupture the tear annulus 46 and to effect theremoval thereof.

Reference is now made to FIGURE 3 in particular wherein it will be seenthat when the closure cap 13 is moved towards a position closing andsealing the nozzle 12, the upper end of the pull tab 47 is receivedwithin the confines of the plug 34 with the upper end of the pull tab 47engaging the underside of the top wall 29 of the closure cap 13. As theclosure cap 13 is continued to be moved towards its seated position onthe nozzle 12, the pull tab 7 the nozzle 12, the pull tab 47 will springupwardly from within the confines of the nozzle 12 to a positionprojecting upwardly above the upper end of the nozzle 12 where the pulltab 47 may be readily grasped between ones fingers and a pull exertedthereon to remove the sealing disc 43. It will thus be apparent that thenozzle 12 is provided with means for effectively sealing the same sothat the container 11 and the product contained therein may be deliveredto the ultimate consumer untampered with, and any tampering with thecontents of the container 11 will be indicated by the rupturing of thesealing disc 43. At the same time, the nozzle 12 is so constructedwhereby no special tool is required to effect the removal of the sealingdisc 43 by the ultimate consumer.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 7 and 8 in particular wherein thenozzle 12 is illustrated as having a modified form of sealing disc,generally referred to by the numeral 48. The sealing disc 48 has athickened central portion 49 of an outline best illustrated in FIGURE 7.A pull tab 50 extends upwardly from the end of a narrow portion 51 ofthe thickened portion 49. The sealing disc 48 also includes a relativelythin peripheral portion 52, which is for the most part narrow, butwidens out in the vicinity of the pull tab 50 and extends around thenarrow portion 51 of the thickened portion 49.

It will be apparent that the sealing disc 48 differs from the sealingdisk 43 only in that the thickened portion 49, in lieu of being in theform of a circular disk, as is the thickened portion 45 of the sealingdisk 43, has a quite different shape to provide a greater area of thethin portion 52 in the vicinity of the pull tab 50. Thus, the sealingdisc 48 is more easily ruptured than the sealing disk 43 when a pull isexerted on the pull tab 50.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that novel and advantageousprovision has been made for carrying out the desired end. However,attention is again directed to the fact that variations may be made inthe example method and apparatus disclosed herein without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed as new:

1. In a dispensing nozzle of the type having a throat and a removablecap normally sealing the upper end of said throat, a removable sealingdisc initially closing said throat below said cap, a pull tab secured tosaid sealing disc for removing the same, said pull tab being formed of aresilient material and projecting out of said nozzle when said cap isremoved from said nozzle with said cap holding said pull tab in adepressed position within said throat.

2. In a dispensing nozzle of the type having a throat and a removablecap, a removable sealing disc recessed within and closing said throat,an elongated pull tab secured to said sealing disc for removing thesame, said pull tab being of a length greater than the height of saidnozzle above said sealing disc to project up out of said nozzle throatto a position where it may be readily grasped, said cap engaging saidpull tab and bending said pull tab to a concealed position within saidnozzle when said cap is in place on said nozzle, and said pull tab beingresilient whereby when said cap is removed said pull tab springsupwardly out of said nozzle.

3. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said pull tab and saidsealing disc are integrally formed of a resilient plastic.

4. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said sealing disc isintegrally secured to said nozzle and said sealing disc has a peripheralweakened area to facilitate the removal thereof from said nozzle.

5. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said sealing disc isformed integrally with said pull tab and said nozzle, and said sealingdisc has a peripheral Weakened area to facilitate the removal of saidsealing disc from said nozzle, said pull tab, said sealing disc and saidnozzle being formed of a resilient plastic.

6. The nozzle construction of claim 2 wherein said cap has a hollow plugprojecting into and forming a seal with the surface of said throat, theupper end of said pull tab being received within said plug when said capis in place on said nozzle.

7. The nozzle assembly of claim 2 wherein said nozzle has an outerannular locking rib and said cap has a plurality of short spaced lockingribs engageable beneath said nozzle locking rib t-o normally retain saidcap in a nozzle closing position and at the same time permitting the capto become unseated in the event excessive pressures exist within thenozzle.

8. A one-piece resiliently deformable plastic dispensing nozzle assemblycomprising a tubular nozzle having a pouring throat, a closure cap forsaid nozzle, a strap connecting said cap to said nozzle, a sealing discrecessed within and closing said throat, said sealing disc having aweakened peripheral area facilitating the removal thereof from saidnozzle, a pull tab extending generally normal to and connected to saidsealing disc for exerting a rupturing force thereon, said cap having ahollow plug portion projecting into said throat and forming a sealtherewith, said pull tab being deflected into said nozzle by said capand having an upper end seated on said cap within said hollow plug, thelength of said pull tab being greater than the height of said throatabove said sealing disc, whereby when said cap is removed and said pulltab returns to an upright position due to the resiliency thereof, theupper end of said pull tab projects above said nozzle for ease of beinggripped.

9. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said weakened peripheral areais in the form of an annular portion of said sealing disc immediatelyadjacent said nozzle with said annular portion being impervious and of areduced thickness.

10. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said sealing disc is also ofa reduced thickness between said pull tab and said weakened peripheralarea radially outwardly from said pull tab and at opposite edges of saidpull tab.

11. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said pull tab is connected tosaid sealing disc immediately adjacent to said weakened peripheral area.

12. The nozzle assembly of claim 8 wherein said throat is cylindricaland of a smooth internal surface, and said plug has an upwardly flaringouter surface with the upper portion of said plug having a greaterexternal diameter than the internal diameter of said nozzle throat,whereby said plug is wedged within said nozzle with an outwarddeformation of the upper portion of said throat when said cap is seated.

13. In a spout-type container closure, a generally tubular pouring spoutof resiliently flexible material formed with a bore terminating in amouth opening through the outer end of the spout, a closure diaphragmspaced in wardly of the spout from said mouth opening and extending in aradial plane across said bore, said diaphragm being integral with, andconstituting a homogeneous portion of, the material forming the spout,said diaphragm being peripherally connected with the inner wall of saidbore along a weakened tear line spaced inwardly of the spout from itsmouth, a resiliently flexible pull tab having a root portion connectedwith said diaphragm closely adjacent said wall and said weakened tearline, said tab, except for its root portion, being disconnected fromsaid wall and said diaphragm, and having a free end normally projectingoutwardly through and beyond the mouth of the spout, and being normallydisposed at an angle to said diaphragm and being disposed for resilientflexing toward said radial plane of said diaphragm into the mouth of thespout, the resiliency of the tab, upon being released, causing it toresume its normal position with its free end outward of and beyond themouth of the spout.

14. The combination of elements as defined in claim 13 furthercomprising a closure cap removably disposed on said spout to cover saidmouth and having a portion abutting against the tab to flex said tabtoward the diaphragm into said mouth incident to application of the capto said spout.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Chellis 222-541 XSherman 220-60 X Hothersall 220-33 X Vaughn 220-60 Temple 222-81 Rieke222-529 Murphy M 222-543 X Rieke 222-529 Oldenberg 222-563 X FOREIGNPATENTS Switzerland.

RAPHAEL M. LUPO Primary Examiner. LOUIS J. DEMBO, Examiner.

1. IN A DISPENSING NOZZLE OF THE TYPE HAVING A THROAT AND A REMOVABLECAP NORMALLY SEALING THE UPPER END OF SAID THROAT, A REMOVABLE SEALINGDISC INITIALLY CLOSING SAID THROAT BELOW SAID CAP, A PULL TAB SECURED TOSAID SEALING DISC FOR REMOVING THE SAME, SAID PULL TAB BEING FORMED OF ARESILIENT MATERIAL AND PROJECTING OUT OF SAID NOZZLE WHEN SAID CAP ISREMOVED FROM SAID NOZZLE WITH SAID CAP HOLDING SAID PULL TAB IN ADEPRESSED POSITION WITHIN SAID THROAT.